Three progressives take NYC congressional primaries

Three candidates secured Democratic primary victories in New York City districts within days of Mayor Zohran Mamdani endorsing them in June. Claire Valdez, Brad Lander, and Darializa Avila Chevalier won their respective races at the Kings Theatre, where a packed crowd chanted for the abolition of ICE and higher taxes on the wealthy.

Lander defeated Congressman Dan Goldman in a contest defined by the Israel-Palestine conflict. He described Israel’s military actions in Gaza as genocide and its occupation of Palestinian territory as apartheid. Lander also identifies as a Zionist who supports a two-state solution. Israeli forces detained Lander in the West Bank two weeks before the election while he harvested olives. Authorities later revoked his travel documents.

Avila Chevalier unseated longtime Congressman Adriano Espaillat. The community organizer runs on a platform called Babies Not Bombs, which redirects military spending toward domestic priorities like childcare and healthcare. She called for the resignation of NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch after an ICE officer shot a man in his car. Avila Chevalier said police officers later shoved her to the ground during protests.

Valdez won the race to succeed retiring Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez. A former union organizer and state assembly member, she supports the Protecting the Right to Organize Act and national rent control. Valdez, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, exited a polling place during early voting to discuss her priorities.

All three candidates represent heavily Democratic districts, making their likely victory in Tuesday’s midterm elections a formality. The June primaries served as the main event for voters. Canvassers are less visible in the final hours before the general election than they were during the primary campaign.

Progressive strategist Nomiki Konst noted that the new members will need to find immediate legislative wins. She pointed to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who won her seat in 2018 and has worked with Republicans on shared priorities. Ocasio-Cortez introduced legislation with a Florida Republican to cap credit card interest rates at 10 percent in 2025.

Lander proposes banning members of Congress from trading individual stocks. He also wants to restore enhanced government subsidies that expired at the end of 2025. He suggested forcing Republicans to vote on a budget that includes these subsidies to test President Donald Trump’s response.

Avila Chevalier aims to advance her Babies Not Bombs agenda. Valdez plans to push for the PRO Act. Konst advised the group to focus on issues where they share ground with other Democrats to build momentum early in the legislative session.